That fire has been burning since Sunday and already burned 1,600 acres.

A parade of type-3 fire engines departed from an Elk Grove rendezvous point at 2:30 a.m.

"When we get to Merced we'll stop and get geared up to be ready to go to work right away when we arrive," said Sean Stumbaugh, a Cosumnes Fire Battalion Chief. "I did some pictures on TV that were pretty impressive. We're going to get some work out this."

Nearly half the people who had to evacuate their Northern California homes are being allowed to return as firefighters catch up with a wildfire near the main route into Yosemite National Park.

Officials with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said evacuation orders for some 700 people would expire at 8 p.m. Tuesday. About 800 people remain evacuated.